


Magical Mistletoe.  1/1

by punky_96



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F, holiday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 12:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13190097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punky_96/pseuds/punky_96
Summary: Re-Post from LJ.  More holiday fic.Prompt: Andrea says: "Nigel, why would you think it was okay to put magical mistletoe up in the offices?! Now Miranda's fuming because it made us kiss!" and Nigel responds with: "I don't think she's fuming, Six. I think she's embarrassed that she enjoyed it."Or something along those lines. Andy as a fairy would be awesome. Perhaps Nigel picked up some of her magic sparkles and sprinkled it on some mistletoe to hang because he's faaabulous and wants our favorite ladies to be together.Summary: Nigel figures out Andrea’s secret and uses it for a special mistletoe mission.





	Magical Mistletoe.  1/1

_**Magical Mistletoe**_  
  
Nigel narrowed his eyes as he saw the tall brunette pass the glass of his office at a fast clip. It wasn’t unusual for her to pass his office, nor even to pass by without so much as a nod; however, he had noticed that she only passed his office with a venti Starbucks cup and a smile when Miranda was in a particularly foul mood. He might not have ever realized it, but he had been on the look out for months now. Ever since Andrea’s arrival at Runway, Miranda would go through her days as usual—disdaining idiocy, dismissing mumblers, and demanding the best everyone could provide. Nothing new there; however, what was new was that when Miranda would work herself into a snit—magically she would also calm herself down.  
  
Historically, once she was in a snit, she would hover there for days. If they were lucky and there was a weekend, they might be spared the worst of it at work, but it was never a quick fix. Until Andrea started bringing her Starbucks around the back way and somehow smoothing things out.  
  
Setting down his grease pencil, Nigel stepped down from his stool and slipped through his glass doorway. Following the swish of hair and skirt as it rounded the corner, Nigel walked past the Employee Break Room and then returned to watch Andrea more closely. Opening the far cupboard, Andrea bent down and pulled out the packages of disposable coffee cups and a few containers of non-dairy creamer. Ducking her head further down, Andrea balanced herself against the cupboards as she reached way into the back of the cabinet. Giving a satisfied grunt, Andrea stood holding a small jar that seemed to sparkle in the yellow tube lighting of the break room. Pulling the lid off the steaming coffee cup, Andrea flipped the top up on the jar and tilted it over the coffee. The sparkling substance poured into the coffee, much to Nigel’s surprise. As he continued to watch, Andrea replaced all of the items in the cupboard and then replaced the lid on the coffee. Humming, Andrea tapped the side of the cup.  
  
As Nigel saw her grab the cup and begin to turn, he edged away from the break room thinking he could make it to the back bathroom on his floor without Andrea catching him. Making the long way around the building, Nigel grabbed something to ask Miranda about and headed to check his information.  
  
Miranda’s chilling tones made him shiver, and he paused outside the door suddenly uncertain. “That’s all.”  The dismissive tone of her signature phrase fell nearly out of the range of human hearing. Andrea saw Nigel standing as she reached the outer threshold of Miranda’s office and she smiled.  
  
Turning, Nigel followed the mysterious brunette with his eyes. With no other expression for him, Andrea began typing, her eyes focused on the screen and he could tell nothing else from her demeanor.  
  
“Loitering is illegal. Hmmmm.” Nigel felt his muscles flex while his mind suddenly split between an insane desire to run and the knowledge that he must turn around. Breathing deep, his eyebrows raised and Nigel turned and entered Miranda’s office.  By the time Nigel left her office, Miranda only had half a cup of coffee left and her foul mood had lifted.  
  
***  
  
The holidays were stressful enough, though Irving was in high spirits. He could do very little to actually effect Miranda, which she had made painfully clear in Paris the previous year, but he could schedule necessary tasks at increasingly inopportune moments. The Runway deadline for print was in the evening; the mandatory Holiday party was the same evening; and an excruciatingly long budget review meeting was that afternoon. He had let himself into Miranda’s office once lobby security notified him that her assistant left the building. Nigel had come up to see Miranda about a last minute layout change she had requested only to return to his own office with his tail between his legs.  
  
Sitting on his stool, Nigel thought about the rest of the day and Miranda’s mood. Once Andrea had returned from her errands and Irving had gone back to his office to gloat, Miranda would ask for more coffee. Letting his leg jump up and down on the rung of his stool, Nigel let the wheels in his mind twirl. ‘Tis the season.’ He thought as he made his way to the props office. He thought he might have just the thing to settle tonight’s mood in time for the party and to steam up the windows of the townhouse and chase away the chill of the twins leaving. Setting the green sprig on the counter, Nigel pulled up his slacks and kneeled down to rummage around in the cupboard. Successful in finding the little jar, he smirked. He wasn’t sure if this would work, but it was worth a try—or they might be dealing with a murder instead of just a mood.  
  
Looking down the hall, Nigel saw Andrea ahead of him carrying a familiar white with green cup. Miranda was not in the office and Nigel sped up. Nigel couldn’t believe the luck of his timing—at this point Miranda could not be far away, perhaps terrorizing the editorial department before returning to her office. Nigel hoped to jump up, slap the tape and be gone by the time Andrea had turned to exit and Miranda was on her approach.  
  
It took two jumps, which was humiliating, but he managed to hang the mangled mistletoe from just above Miranda’s office door. As he landed he felt the chill in the air, which signaled the dragonlady’s approach. Knees bent for flight, he glanced into the office where Andrea had just finished arranging something on the desk. Moving quickly and hoping that he was the least of either of their thoughts, Nigel practically jumped into the Assistant’s Kitchenette. Miranda passed him by without a sideways glance and he dared to lean against the wall for a quick look.  
  
Andrea was just at the door as Miranda arrived. Her eyes flashed with a hunger, he had thought he’d seen before, but now was sure was there in that wide soulful brown-eyed look Andrea gave Miranda. From behind Nigel couldn’t see the silver haired editor’s face, but he saw her shoulders go rigid and her step falter a half-second as she looked up and into Andrea’s eyes. Practically in slow motion the two women took the final steps between them until they were standing directly under the mistletoe. Miranda raised one arm up, her fingers sliding into the dark locks of Andrea’s long hair and then pulling her forward. On the opposite side, Andrea wrapped her hand around the small of Miranda’s back. From the angle of their heads, Nigel could tell that their lips had brushed once, twice and a third time before the kiss changed their posture. Andrea’s fingers tightened into a fist pulling the fabric of Miranda’s blouse.  
  
Nothing was said as Nigel watched them stand and step back. Andrea’s eyes searched Miranda’s face, but Nigel could tell from the set of her shoulders that Miranda was withdrawing. He was not surprised when he saw her sidestep her young assistant and head into her office. Shaking her head, Andrea wiped the back of her hand across her lips and stepped forward. Nigel hoped that if he was wrong, at least Andrea had spiked her coffee. If not he had just earned himself a direct ticket to the hottest levels of hell. Using her moment of sadness to his advantage, Nigel slipped out of the kitchenette and retreated to his office. Only time would tell what the reaction to this would be.  
  
***  
  
An hour had never taken so long, but Nigel didn’t dare return so soon after the events he had witnessed. Looking up, he angled his approach to Miranda’s office so that he did not pass under the mistletoe. He noted the Starbucks cup lingering next to Miranda’s hand and smiled. Her outward appearance seemed calm, now he just had to see what her voice tone was. He hoped to leave here and file the final changes, so that they could all get ready for the party. As he had expected the meeting went well and he wondered what life would be like when Andrea moved on to another job. She had already stayed well beyond her allotted year—Miranda had promoted Emily as soon as she had returned from Paris and no second assistant had been sought out. It couldn’t last forever, Nigel knew, and he just hoped that they would all survive the transition. From Miranda’s attitude during the meeting, Nigel had high hopes that his mistletoe had paved the way for a Happy Holiday after all.  
  
Nigel hadn’t thought much about his decision, knowing that only good would come from it in the end. So he was rather surprised when Andrea stalked him down the hallway away from Miranda hissing at him, “Was she all right? What did she say?”  
  
Nigel turned and looked the girl over. Panic was writ large on her facial features and he thought tears might be rallying in the backs of her eyes. “All right?” He asked her with a dip down of his face to look at her better. He shouldn’t torture her—it would be a sure way to end up on the naughty list—but he just couldn’t help himself. When she just gasped, he relented a bit, “I think she even said thank you, Six. She’s fine.” He smiled at her relief and then it occurred to him to see if he could draw out her secret. “What is it you put in her coffee anyway?”  
  
Andrea cupping her hand over her mouth as her eyes flashed wide with worry was just about the funniest thing Nigel had ever seen. “What?” She managed to splutter after several fits and starts and a cleared throat.  
  
“Foul mood.” Nigel held up the pointer finger of his right hand. “Your coffee.” He held up the pointer on his other hand and brought them together, then he pulled the corners of his mouth up into a smile. “All better. Why is that?”  
  
Sensing that not only was her secret found out, but that the mistletoe she had noticed in Miranda’s doorway was suspicious, Andrea grabbed Nigel’s shoulders. “Nigel, Nigel. What did you do?”  
  
Nigel raised his eyebrows feigning ignorance, “Me, me, what do you mean what did I do? What do you put in her coffee?” He stared her down with all of his years of practice beside the dragonlady behind him. “She said thank you, Six.” He stressed each word turning the question back on the younger woman.  
  
“P-p-pixie dust.” Andrea stuttered as she revealed her secret to a mortal for the first time in her very long life. “Not much, just enough to make a difference.”  
  
Nigel nodded and waved away, “Hmm. Yes, that’s what I did.” Then seeming to catch himself, he added with a smirk, “I mean, that’s what I thought.” He smiled a shark’s smile at her as the pieces clicked together. “That’s some difference.” Stepping away from her, Nigel added, “Do you think there will be mistletoe at the party?”  
  
Grabbing him by the arm, Andrea turned him around again. “You, you, you,” Andrea blinked through her upset. “You made magical mistletoe.  Nigel, why would you think it was okay to put magical mistletoe up in the office? Miranda’s fuming because it made us kiss!”  
  
Pulling Andrea’s hands from his arm, Nigel held onto one of them giving it a squeeze. “I don’t think she’s fuming, Six. I think she’s embarrassed that she enjoyed it in the middle of her office doorway.” When Andrea drew breath to deny him, he added, “She was speechless, Six. Has she ever been speechless when she’s unhappy?” Letting that sink in, Nigel turned Andrea back toward Miranda’s office. “Now, go get her. The party starts in two hours, I’m sure you can find something in the Closet.” Laughing, Nigel gave her a little shove in the direction of the office and turned to head back to the elevators.  
  
Before he turned the corner he looked back towards the editor’s office. Miranda had stood to greet Andrea and he watched as they stepped around her desk and embraced once more. ‘Fa la la la la…’ He hummed to himself.  
  
_**Fin.**_  
  
x


End file.
